Ballast Point has its roots in the homebrewing business; the brewery’s founders first launched Home Brew Mart, selling ingredients and equipment to homebrewers, in order to make money to support their homebrewing “habit”.

The shop’s first employee created Ballast Point’s first beer. It was called Copper Ale, then Calico Amber and finally California Amber.

Ballast Point’s “Roots to Boots” program let’s an employee think up a new beer, which is then brewed at the R&D brewery. Then they let employees or the public vote which ones they should brew again.

A journalist for San Diego Magazine once called head brewer Colby Chandler a “beer and flavor innovator”.

Chandler and his team churn out two or three different beers each week at the R&D brewery in Little Italy.